Protective sleeved gloves and method of manufacturing

ABSTRACT

A protective sleeved glove includes a glove with an attached loose sleeve. The sleeve can have a length to cover the wearer&#39;s forearm and bicep during an activity, such as for example gardening. A fastener band can be used with the sleeve in order to hold the sleeve in place over a bicep of the wearer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to protective apparel and in particular protective sleeved gloves made of a light breathable flexible fabric maintaining comfort, yet protecting the arms and hands of a wearer from for example poison ivy and insects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional gardening gloves end at the wrist or slightly higher. During use when pulling weeds and gardening, the wearer of the conventional gardening gloves is often subject to rubbing their arms against the weeds, thereby exposing the forearms and biceps to skin irritants, including but not limited to poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, ticks, thistle, prickly cucumber vines, tomato leaves and vines. Weeding in the summer, people often are wearing sleeveless or short sleeved shirts, thereby exposing the arms to the irritants. During gardening, it is not always convenient to change into a long sleeved shirt, or it is often times too hot to change into a long sleeved shirt.

The poison ivy plant contains the oil urushiol which causes a severe blistering rash. About 85 percent of the population is allergic to poison ivy, poison sumac or poison oak, and about 10 to 15 percent are extremely allergic. This is the most common allergic reaction in the U.S., and affects as many as 50 million Americans each year. The unpleasant results to a person's health from a “brush” with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac may last for days, weeks or months. Fortunately, taking care of poison ivy exposed laundry is simple. The same cleaning techniques are recommended for fabrics exposed to poison oak and sumac. When clothing, comes in contact with poison ivy, oak and sumac plants, the same oils that cause skin irritation remain on the surface of the fabric. The oil must be removed or it can continue to cause problems and even contaminate other surfaces for up to two years. It does not evaporate like a water-based substance, so it can stay active on things like clothes and tools; if a person comes in contact with any such item, they will be exposed to urushiol oil all over again.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,478 describes a semi-long sleeved gardening glove constructed with rib stiffeners built into the sleeve to stiffen the sleeve and prevent it from slipping down the forearm. The stiffeners have rounded ends and extend along the length of the sleeve portion about one inch below the fastening strap to about one inch from a hand portion. The glove has hand and sleeve portions that covers the forearm up to but just below the elbow. A loop pile or other fastener forms a snug fit at the top. The stiffeners have rounded ends and extend along the length of the sleeve portion about one inch below the fastening strap to about one inch from a hand portion. An anti-slip material beneath the fastener further inhibits slippage down the forearm and helps form a snug fit against the wearer's forearm.

It is desirable to provide light weight gardening gloves to protect the forearms and biceps during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protective sleeved glove. In one embodiment, the protective sleeved glove includes a glove with an attached loose sleeve. The sleeve can have a length to cover the wearer's forearm and bicep during an activity, such as for example gardening. A fastener band can be used with the sleeve in order to hold the sleeve in place over a bicep of the wearer. In one embodiment, the fastener band is an elastic band. The elastic band ensures a non-slip fit of the protective sleeved glove on the arm over the bicep of the wearer.

The protective sleeved glove can be made from a light, breathable fabric so that the wearer, such as a gardener does not become too hot in the summer sun. In one embodiment, the sleeved glove is formed of cotton. The protective sleeved glove can be fully machine washable. The machine washable protective sleeved gloves allow the removal of irritants, such as urushiol from the gloves, after laundering in a washing machine thereby removing the likelihood of a wearer becoming re-infected with the irritant.

In one embodiment, a protective sleeved glove is manufactured by coupling a glove to a sleeve. The glove can be stitched to the sleeve with a sewing machine. A blouson sleeve can be sewn continuously around a knit wrist of the glove for forming a one piece garment. The formed protective sleeved glove has low manufacturing costs.

In an alternate embodiment, a protective sleeved glove is manufactured by continuously knitting a glove and sleeve on a glove knitting machine. The glove is integral to the sleeve. The formed protective sleeved glove has low manufacturing costs.

The present invention provides the wearer with a one piece loose, breathable garment while protecting the wearer's skin of the hand and the arm past the bicep from insects, soil and foliage irritants, ticks, and the oil urushiol from the poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac plants.

Accordingly, a principle object of the present invention is to provide protective apparel that affords a comfortable, breathable level of safety and comfort to the forearms and biceps of the wearer while gardening.

Another object of the invention is to provide protective apparel made of a cotton or cotton blend material making the sleeved gloves fully machine washable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective glove with attached sleeve, which is a convenience to the wearer, because the wearer can protect arms without having to put on a long sleeved shirt.

Another, more particular object of the invention is to provide protective apparel made of a light, breathable cotton or cotton blend material protecting the wearer's biceps and forearms from direct skin contact with urushiol from the poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac plant.

The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In view of these and other objects which will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed with reference being made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a top and side view of a protective sleeved glove in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a bottom view of the protective sleeved glove.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the protective sleeved glove.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a front view of the protective sleeved glove.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a rear view of the protective sleeved glove.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a protective sleeved glove and method of manufacture in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a protective sleeved glove and method of manufacture in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a top and side view of a protective sleeved glove for an opposite hand in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a top and side view of a protective sleeved glove in including snap coupling member in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a top and side view of a protective sleeved glove in including a pocket in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a top and side view of protective sleeved glove 10 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Protective sleeved glove 10 includes glove 12 and sleeve 14. Glove 12 includes digit portions 13 and thumb portion 15.

Fastener band 16 can be positioned at end 17 of sleeve 14. Fastener band 16 can be formed of an elastic material. Fastener band 16 can be sewn to end 17 of sleeve 14. Sleeve 14 can be coupled to glove 12 at coupling portion 19.

Sleeve 14 can have a blouson, balloon or puffed shape. Sleeve 14 can have a forearm diameter D1 which is larger than diameter D2 of forearm 22 of a wearer. Sleeve 14 can include a bicep diameter D4 which is larger than diameter D3 of bicep 24 of a wearer. Middle Diameter D5 is positioned between forearm diameter D1 and bicep diameter D4. Middle Diameter D5 can be larger than forearm diameter D1 and bicep diameter D4.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, glove 12 can include wrist band 18. Wrist band 18 can be positioned at end 31 of glove 14 adjacent to palm portion 30 and top portion 32 of glove 12. Wrist band 18 can have band diameter D7 which is smaller than palm diameter D8 and top diameter D9. Wrist band 18 can be used to retain glove 12 over palm 40 and top 42 of hand 20.

In one embodiment, glove 12 can be formed of a cotton fabric or cotton blend fabric. In one embodiment, glove 12 is formed of a single cotton knit fabric. Wrist band 18 can be formed of a cotton fabric. In one embodiment, wrist band 18 is formed of an interlocked knit fabric. Sleeve 14 can be formed of a light weight cotton fabric. For cooler weather use, glove 12 and/or sleeve 14 can be made from a heavier weight machine washable cotton, cotton blend, poly blend or fleece fabric. Alternatively, glove 12, wrist band 18 and sleeve 14 can be formed of one or more of cotton and synthetic fabrics. Suitable fabrics for protective sleeved glove 10 include one or more of cotton, polyester, nylon and rayon and blends of one or more of cotton, polyester, nylon and rayon. Protective sleeved glove 10 is formed of a machine washable fabric.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, protective sleeved glove 10 defines rear opening 40 with a generally circular or oval shape for removably receiving hand 20 and arm 29 of a wearer during use, Digits 25 and thumb 27 of a wearer's hand 20 can be inserted through opening 40 into respective digit portions 13 and thumb portion 15 of glove 12. Forearm diameter D1 can be positioned over forearm 22, middle diameter D5 can be positioned over elbow 23 and bicep diameter D4 can be positioned over bicep 24.

Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment a method for manufacturing protective sleeved glove 10 comprises the step of sewing coupling portion 19 to sew glove 12 to sleeve 14. In one embodiment, glove 14 is stitched to sleeve 14 with stitches 60 formed by sewing machine 62. Sleeve 14 can be sewn continuously around wrist band 18 of glove 12 for forming a one piece garment.

Referring to FIG. 7, in one embodiment, a method for manufacturing protective sleeved glove 10 comprises the step of knitting coupling portion 19 to knit glove 12 to sleeve 14. In one embodiment, glove 14 is knit to sleeve 14 by continuously knitting glove 12, coupling portion 19 and sleeve 14 on glove knitting machine 72. Glove 12 is integral to sleeve 14 to form a one piece garment.

Referring to FIG. 8, protective sleeved glove 100 can have all the features of protective sleeved glove 10 as a mirror image for an opposite hand in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment coupling portion 19 can include snap fastener 90. Snap fastener 90 can be attached to glove 12 and sleeve 14. Snap fastener 90 can include top 91 having protrusion 92 which is snapped into depression 93 of base 94.

Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment coupling portion 19 can include snap fastener 90. Coupling portion 19 can be attached to wrist band 18. Snap fastener 90 can be attached to glove 12 and sleeve 14. Snap fastener 90 can include top 91 having protrusion 92 which is snapped into depression 93 of base 94 for coupling glove 12 to sleeve 14.

Referring to FIG. 10, in one embodiment coupling portion 19 can include zipper 100. Coupling portion 19 can be attached to wrist band 18. Zipper 100 includes portion 102 including teeth 103 and portion 104 including teeth 105. Portion 102 can be attached to glove 12 and portion 104 can be attached to sleeve 14. Zipper pull 107 can be used to interlock teeth 103 to teeth 105 for coupling glove 12 to sleeve 14.

Sleeve 14 can include pocket 110. Pocket 110 includes opening 112 for receiving objects, such as for example gardening articles.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A protective sleeved glove comprising: a glove, a sleeve having a first end extending from the glove, and a second end of the sleeve including a fastener band, wherein the sleeve has a blouson, balloon or puffed shape for extending over an arm of a wearer and the fastener member coupling the sleeve over a bicep of the wearer.
 2. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the fastener band is formed of an elastic material.
 3. The protective sleeved glove of claim 2 wherein the fastener band is sewn to the sleeve.
 4. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a forearm diameter, a middle diameter and a bicep diameter, the middle diameter is larger than the forearm diameter and the bicep diameter.
 5. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the glove includes a wrist band, the sleeve being coupled or integral with the wrist band.
 6. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the wrist band has a band diameter which is smaller than a palm diameter and a top diameter of the glove.
 7. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the protective sleeve glove is formed of a machine washable fabric.
 8. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the glove is formed of a cotton fabric or cotton blend fabric.
 9. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the glove is formed of a single cotton knit fabric and the wrist band is formed of an interlocked knit fabric.
 10. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is formed of a light weight cotton fabric
 11. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the glove, the wrist band or the sleeve are formed of fabrics of one or more of cotton, polyester, nylon or rayon and blends of one or more of cotton, polyester, nylon or rayon.
 12. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the glove is sewn to the sleeve.
 13. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the glove is continuously knit to the sleeve.
 14. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the wrist band is sewn to the sleeve.
 15. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the glove, the wrist band and the sleeve are continuously knit to form a one piece construction.
 16. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 wherein the glove is snapped to the sleeve with a snap fastener.
 17. The protective sleeved glove of claim 5 wherein the glove is zipped to the sleeve with a zipper.
 18. The protective sleeved glove of claim 1 further comprising a pocket being formed on said sleeve.
 19. A method for manufacturing a protective sleeved glove comprising the steps of; providing a glove, providing a sleeve, the sleeve having a first end extending from the glove; coupling a fastener band to a second end of the sleeve and sewing the glove to the first end of the sleeve for coupling the glove to the sleeve and forming the protective sleeved glove.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the fastener band is an elastic material.
 21. The method of claim 16 wherein the glove further comprises a wrist band, the sleeve being coupled or integral with the wrist band.
 22. A method for manufacturing a protective sleeved glove comprising the steps of; knitting a glove and a sleeve having a first end extending from the glove; and coupling a fastener band to a second end of the sleeve.
 23. The method of claim 19 wherein the fastener band is an elastic material.
 24. The method of claim 19 wherein the glove further comprises a wrist band, the sleeve being coupled or integral with the wrist band. 